Cuts threaten to harm education at Washington public charter schools | Opinion

In my first-grade classroom at Impact Commencement Bay Elementary, a charter public school on Tacoma’s eastside, the theme of this month’s literacy unit is the uniqueness of every family.

As students share what’s unique about their families, I’m grateful to be in a school that recognizes how our differences make our community richer and stronger.

One difference that I find it hard to accept as a teacher is that the kids in my public school classroom receive less funding than their peers. In our area, which is home to families from all over the world, military families who have traveled the world, and people born and raised here who represent cultures from across our globe, we need elementary schools like ours that families can choose even if they are outside of boundaries for other choice school programs. I am urging state lawmakers to refuse to accept this funding imbalance and maintain funding for charter public schools in their current budget deliberations.

Choice enrollment for Tacoma’s public high schools reflects the reality that some families want another public school option for their student. Our charter public school elementary is another public choice for younger kids in Tacoma and, broadly, Pierce County.

As both a teacher and a parent of a first-grade student at Commencement Bay, I can attest that we are meeting a distinct need for local families who believe in public education, but whose kids require an educational option that is different from traditional public school. Charter public schools are open to any student who wishes to enroll, don’t require any admissions tests and — like all public schools — are free to attend.

At Commencement Bay, our personalized approach to education makes it a perfect fit for the students and families we serve. Like all charter public schools, we can use unique teaching approaches, customize curriculum and try innovative educational models.

Social-emotional learning is the bedrock of our educational approach and there is a strong culture of belonging at our elementary school that is integral to how we help students succeed. Part of our job as educators is to give students the tools they need to flourish in any environment, and even in first grade, my students’ capabilities are growing to meet challenges before them.

As they grow in confidence and resilience, they amaze me every day. They’re taking more chances and learning to use relationship building skills to work together when things get hard. These are the skills that will take them the farthest in life.

Every public school teacher is painfully familiar with how strained school budgets can adversely affect students and their families. This is particularly acute for charter public school students who are subject to a significant gap in public funding to support their education compared to their traditional public school peers.

Unless state funding is maintained, the gap between what the kids in my public elementary school receive versus what kids in other public elementaries receive will grow even wider, making it difficult to ensure we can serve Pierce County families in the ways that already meet the needs of so many. All of Washington’s public school students deserve the same opportunity to pursue an education that supports them on a path to success in college, career, and life – and public funding should reflect that.

The legislature will have to make difficult budget decisions this year, and it is imperative that lawmakers consider how every type of public school, including charter public schools, enriches our neighborhoods by strengthening the capabilities of the next generation to live, work and lead our community. I urge our legislators to maintain their funding investments in charter public schools for the coming year and remember that the diversity of our public education system is part of what makes it strong.

Our families are trusting us to provide a high-quality public education for their students, even amidst a difficult state budget year. We must not go backwards on the funding that’s already been invested in charter public schools.

Hilary Koltes is the Lead Teacher for First Grade and a parent at Impact Commencement Bay Elementary Charter Public School in Tacoma.

This story was originally published February 22, 2026 at 3:00 AM with the headline "Cuts threaten to harm education at Washington public charter schools | Opinion."